PPF SURPRISES STUDENTS WITH BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES
The transition back to school was a bit smoother this year for over 500 Harlem families who received urgently needed backpacks and school supplies, thanks to a pilot project launched in August by the Project People Foundation’s (PPF) Connecting Communities program. “
This initiative to serve Harlem families came together through an interfaith partnership between PPF and the United Jewish Appeal-Federation NY (UJA) geared toward empowering grassroots organizations serving communities in need. A grant from UJA to Project People Foundation enabled the distribution of 500 backpacks and school supplies. PPF, the Jewish Community Center of Harlem (JCC), and Meals for Good, an organization specializing in food insecurity – collaborated to distribute the 500 backpacks and school supplies. The community-based organizations successfully executed the distribution to local organizations, churches, and housing projects, such as St. Joseph of the Holy Family, Christ Temple Church, Splash Fit Swim Club, Taft Houses, and District Nine. Collaborations between global grassroots and philanthropic organizations like PPF and UJA can help increase interagency coordination in the provision of direct services and stem the growing crisis facing resource-poor families.
PPF has over 30 years of experience focusing on Black communities in the U.S. and South Africa, working primarily with faith-based institutions, community-based organizations(CBOs), and direct service agencies to implement its programs. In addition, PPF serves as a convenor and connector, spearheading volunteer-led efforts to raise awareness of the needs of Black women and children in both countries and to enlarge the reach of local service organizations.
The twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism have exacerbated long-standing and systemic issues, like housing and economic and food insecurity, in vulnerable communities. “COVID-19 remains a threat and is now coupled with the challenge of inflation. More and more people need support,” said Linda Tarry-Chard, PPF’s Founder and President. “People need to feel that they’re not invisible, and we work to create a glimmer of hope.” PPF’s success is built on the philosophy that interracial, interfaith, and multi-cultural community infrastructure is essential to creating a hub of care, connection, and inspiration where groups can connect and build awareness and solutions. Through UJA’s support and other community partnerships this year, PPF will launch a Thanksgiving food distribution drive supported by vouchers and the delivery of produce from local farms. PPF and the community partners plan to expand the Connecting Communities Project through Spring 2023.
Collaborations between global grassroots and philanthropic organizations like PPF and UJA can help increase interagency coordination to stem the growing crisis facing resource-poor families by providing direct services in their communities.
About PPF
The Project People Foundation (PPF) is a non-profit organization committed to uplifting and inspiring people through people-centric community development with historic civic, professional, and religious institutions.
About UJA
For more than 100 years, UJA-Federation of New York has invested in the aspiration that New York can be a place of care, connection, and community for all who call this place home.
About JCC Harlem
JCC Harlem is a community space on West 118th Street that is welcome to all. An initiative of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in collaboration with UJA-Federation of N.Y., JCC Harlem creates unique and diverse access points to Jewish and communal life for members of the Harlem community.
About Meals for Good
Meals For Good operates in New York City with a dual mission: to support underfunded food pantries with grants for fresh produce, mostly from local and regional family farms (thereby supporting our farms as well), and to provide families with access, through donation and direct purchase, to missing groceries that are so vital to their wellbeing.
This initiative to serve Harlem families came together through an interfaith partnership between PPF and the United Jewish Appeal-Federation NY (UJA) geared toward empowering grassroots organizations serving communities in need. A grant from UJA to Project People Foundation enabled the distribution of 500 backpacks and school supplies. PPF, the Jewish Community Center of Harlem (JCC), and Meals for Good, an organization specializing in food insecurity – collaborated to distribute the 500 backpacks and school supplies. The community-based organizations successfully executed the distribution to local organizations, churches, and housing projects, such as St. Joseph of the Holy Family, Christ Temple Church, Splash Fit Swim Club, Taft Houses, and District Nine. Collaborations between global grassroots and philanthropic organizations like PPF and UJA can help increase interagency coordination in the provision of direct services and stem the growing crisis facing resource-poor families.
PPF has over 30 years of experience focusing on Black communities in the U.S. and South Africa, working primarily with faith-based institutions, community-based organizations(CBOs), and direct service agencies to implement its programs. In addition, PPF serves as a convenor and connector, spearheading volunteer-led efforts to raise awareness of the needs of Black women and children in both countries and to enlarge the reach of local service organizations.
The twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism have exacerbated long-standing and systemic issues, like housing and economic and food insecurity, in vulnerable communities. “COVID-19 remains a threat and is now coupled with the challenge of inflation. More and more people need support,” said Linda Tarry-Chard, PPF’s Founder and President. “People need to feel that they’re not invisible, and we work to create a glimmer of hope.” PPF’s success is built on the philosophy that interracial, interfaith, and multi-cultural community infrastructure is essential to creating a hub of care, connection, and inspiration where groups can connect and build awareness and solutions. Through UJA’s support and other community partnerships this year, PPF will launch a Thanksgiving food distribution drive supported by vouchers and the delivery of produce from local farms. PPF and the community partners plan to expand the Connecting Communities Project through Spring 2023.
Collaborations between global grassroots and philanthropic organizations like PPF and UJA can help increase interagency coordination to stem the growing crisis facing resource-poor families by providing direct services in their communities.
About PPF
The Project People Foundation (PPF) is a non-profit organization committed to uplifting and inspiring people through people-centric community development with historic civic, professional, and religious institutions.
About UJA
For more than 100 years, UJA-Federation of New York has invested in the aspiration that New York can be a place of care, connection, and community for all who call this place home.
About JCC Harlem
JCC Harlem is a community space on West 118th Street that is welcome to all. An initiative of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in collaboration with UJA-Federation of N.Y., JCC Harlem creates unique and diverse access points to Jewish and communal life for members of the Harlem community.
About Meals for Good
Meals For Good operates in New York City with a dual mission: to support underfunded food pantries with grants for fresh produce, mostly from local and regional family farms (thereby supporting our farms as well), and to provide families with access, through donation and direct purchase, to missing groceries that are so vital to their wellbeing.